2015: APC Vows To Resist Further Extension Of Emergency Rule In Borno, Others

The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), on Tuesday, said it would resist extension of emergency rule in APC-cotrolled states of Yobe, Adamawa and Borno following a statement credited to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega that the three states might be excluded from participating in the 2015 general elections if the security situation does not improve for the better.

The opposition party also said its support for increased funding for INEC would be based on the adoption of biometric voter registration for the general elections.

The party also called on the National Assembly to begin investigations into “constitutional violations” by the Goodluck Jonathan administration, pleading with the federal legislators to act in consonance with the dictates of the constitution “to save our nation from falling off a fiscal cliff caused by excessive theft and corruption”.

These positions, among others, were reached at its seventh Interim National Executive Committee regular meeting.

The seven-point draft communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, read:

“The APC held the seventh regular meeting of the Interim National Executive Committee of the party on Tuesday, under the chairmanship of Chief Bisi Akande. Notable party leaders, including General Muhammadu Buhari, Senator Bola Tinubu, Dr Ogbonayya Onu and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff graced the meeting.

“The meeting happily welcomed, for the first time, the Governors of Kano and Rivers states, representatives of the governors of Adamawa, Sokoto and Kwara states and Alhaji Kawu Baraje to the Interim NEC of the APC.

“Sadly, in the course of the meeting, the APC learnt that another deadly attack was perpetrated against the Rivers Government House where the office of the deputy governor was partly destroyed. This and other acts of impunity clearly show the PDP, its agents and governments to be lawless.

“The APC warns that these acts demonstrate clearly that this government is anti-people, dictatorial and would go to any length to plunge the country into chaos.

“At the conclusion of the meeting: The APC has noted with concern the threats of the PDP to procure a pliant judge to declare the seats of the G-5 governors vacant in spite of the Supreme Court decision in the case of Atiku in 2007. It is of note that several times, governors, including their legislatures from other parties, have decamped from the ANPP and PPA to the PDP even when their former parties were not factionalised without any consequence.

“The APC will not only resist this lawfully, but hereby warns the PDP to desist from words and deeds of impunity that threaten our stability and democracy. We also hope that the judiciary will not be a party to the deliberate promotion of lawlessness and impunity in our country. APC will give its governors and lawmakers the necessary support.”